Two new "cavities" in the Great Pyramid

[Duncan Head]

http://www.sciencealert.com/researchers-say-they-ve-discovered-2-mysterious-cavities-inside-the-great-pyramid-of-giza

Chambers? Corridors? Insignificant construction irregularities?

[Patrick Waterson]

But, and an important but following the Tutankhamun's tomb chambers impasse, their findings are backed up with a muography simulation, which in the present age is almost as good as validating it on the real thing.

Tomb KV35 is, incidentally, the real thing: it has a known hidden chamber*.  Perhaps future cavity-finders can start by calibrating their instruments and techniques there before they go hunting.

*The mummies of Prince Thutmose and Queens Tiy and Meritaten, the three late 18th Dynasty royal suicides, are kept there.

[Duncan Head]

I'm not sure whether the new cavity in today's story - https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/nov/02/archaeolgists-discover-mysterious-void-deep-within-great-pyramid-of-giza - is the same as the two new cavities in last year's story, or if the pyramid is in fact as full of holes as an old sponge.

[Patrick Waterson]

This looks like a new* one, being central and deep inside the pyramid (above the Grand Gallery) while the other two were peripheral (northeastern edge and northern face).

*Please understand 'newly discovered', unless someone is actually conducting clandestine internal excavations.

[Tim]

Patrick

The thought that you and Justin popped over on your hols and dug out two new chambers is sooooo tempting as a theory.

[Justin Swanton]

Patrick

The thought that you and Justin popped over on your hols and dug out two new chambers is sooooo tempting as a theory.

Dammit - how'd he work it out so quickly?

[Patrick Waterson]

Tim's a clever lad.

But should that be three new chambers?  Judging by the size of the most recent one, we must be getting better with practice.

[Patrick Waterson]

Zahi Hawass, intriguingly, claims: "The pyramid is full of voids and that does not mean there is a secret chamber or a new discovery."  Source here.

It looks as if Duncan's spongiform theory may have substance.